Link Report for Tue. 8/14 -- Latest: More on Chapman's HR Mark

[Mass Haas]

http://www.brewerfan.net/images/store/dailylinkreport.jpg

 

 

[Mass Haas]

Tuesday's Daily Menu:

 

All times Central; pitchers subject to change --

 

Nashville: LHP Zach Jackson at home vs. New Orleans (Mets), 5:45 PM pre-game; 6:00 gametime

 

Audio link:

www.nashvillesounds.com/listenlive/

 

Huntsville: RHP Corey Thurman at West Tenn (Mariners), 6:50 PM pre-game; 7:05 gametime

 

Audio link:

www.huntsvillestars.com/

 

Brevard County: TBD at home vs. Jupiter (Marlins), 5:45 PM pre-game, 6:00 gametime

 

Audio link (game will also archive at this link):

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/multimedia/audio.jsp?cid=503&sid=t503

 

West Virginia: RHP Alex Periard at home vs. Charleston (Yankees), 5:55 PM pre-game, 6:05 gametime

 

Audio link (game will also archive at this link):

www.minorleaguebaseball.c.../audio.jsp

 

Helena: RHP Jose Garcia at Ogden (Dodgers), 7:45 PM pre-game, 8:00 gametime

 

Audio link (game will also archive at this link):

www.minorleaguebaseball.c.../audio.jsp

 

Arizona: TBD at home in the Maryvale complex vs. the Royals' kids, 7:00 PM local time in Arizona, 9:00 Central; never any audio for Arizona Rookie League games

[Mass Haas]

Follow Tuesday's action as it happens:

Here's what you do, right click on each of the links below and choose "Open in New Window". Open the Nashville Gameday. For the others, choose "Log". While you're listening to your minor league game of choice (or watching/listening to the big league Crew when they are playing), simply refresh your game log browsers every so often.

 

Nashville:

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_box&gid=2007_08_14_nozaaa_nasaaa_1

 

Huntsville:

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_box&gid=2007_08_14_hunaax_wtdaax_1

 

Brevard County:

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?t=g_box&gid=2007_08_14_jupafa_breafa_1&did=t503&sid=t503

 

West Virginia:

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_box&gid=2007_08_14_crdafx_wvaafx_1

 

Helena:

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_box&gid=2007_08_14_helrok_ogdrok_1

 

Arizona:

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_box&gid=2007_08_14_royrok_brrrok_1

[Mass Haas]

These links will be included in each daily report when the Nashville Sounds and/or Huntsville Stars are scheduled to play. Normally they are updated an hour or two prior to gametime, with Nashville's usually earlier:

 

Nashville Media Notes (Adobe .pdf format):

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/pdf/notes.pdf

 

Huntsville Media Notes (Adobe .pdf format):

 

www.huntsvillestars.com/i...eNotes.pdf

[Mass Haas]

Standings through Monday's action:

 

Arizona League 2nd Half Standings:

Arizona Rookie is 12-29 overall...

 

web.minorleaguebaseball.c...;period=h2

 

 Pacific Coast League (AAA) - PCL American North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nashville 73 49 .598 - 39-19 34-30 W2 Iowa 69 54 .561 4.5 39-25 30-29 W5 Omaha 62 61 .504 11.5 38-21 24-40 W2 Memphis 49 74 .398 24.5 27-37 22-37 L2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

 Southern League (AA) - SOU North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Huntsville 31 19 .620 - 16-9 15-10 W1 Chattanooga 28 22 .560 3.0 14-11 14-11 W1 Tennessee 27 23 .540 4.0 20-10 7-13 W3 Carolina 25 25 .500 6.0 14-11 11-14 W3 West Tenn 19 31 .380 12.0 9-16 10-15 L3 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

 Florida State League (A+) - FSL East Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Brevard County 25 22 .532 - 15-9 10-13 L5 St. Lucie 23 25 .479 2.5 9-13 14-12 W1 Jupiter 21 25 .457 3.5 12-11 9-14 L1 Palm Beach 22 27 .449 4.0 11-15 11-12 W1 Daytona 20 30 .400 6.5 10-16 10-14 L2 Vero Beach 13 33 .283 11.5 6-16 7-17 W2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

 South Atlantic League (A) - SAL Northern Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hickory 33 18 .647 - 20-10 13-8 L1 Lakewood 25 24 .510 7.0 13-10 12-14 L3 Delmarva 25 25 .500 7.5 9-15 16-10 L1 Lake County 24 25 .490 8.0 10-14 14-11 W1 Greensboro 24 27 .471 9.0 16-9 8-18 W2 West Virginia 24 27 .471 9.0 15-10 9-17 W4 Lexington 22 29 .431 11.0 15-13 7-16 L2 Hagerstown 16 34 .320 16.5 9-15 7-19 W1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

 Pioneer League (R+) - PIO North Division Standings ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team W L PCT GB HOME ROAD STREAK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Great Falls 11 3 .786 - 7-0 4-3 W5 Billings 7 7 .500 4.0 4-4 3-3 L2 Helena 6 8 .429 5.0 2-5 4-3 W2 Missoula 6 8 .429 5.0 4-2 2-6 L1 

[Mass Haas]

Helena KCAP Pre-Game Audio from Tuesday with Special Assistant to the G.M./Director of Amateur Scouting Jack Zduriencik:

Be sure you go to the archive of August 13th, then go to the 6:30 minute mark --

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/multimedia/audio.jsp

[Mass Haas]

LHP David Welch your Manatee starter tonight.

[Boy Jeenius]

48 errors for Gamel this year. I'm still in his corner and believe he's going to figure it out. He'll eventually be a 3b in the bigs with that bat. But dang. 48?!

[DHonks]

Is it just me or has Brad Nelson seemingly dramatically improved since he started logging some time at 3b?

[Mass Haas]

If you've come to the Link Report for a distraction from the patheticism that is the ineptitude of your Milwaukee Brewers, there's not a great respite from your troubles here tonight -- sigh...

 

Final: Jupiter (Marlins) 7, Brevard County 1

 

Brevard County Box Score:

David Welch gave up two solo home runs in seven otherwise sparkling innings, deserved a better fate; Mat Gamel and Mike Bell on base twice apiece; night off for Cole Gillespie; missing out on Angel Salome box score lines stinks...

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=t503&t=g_box&gid=2007_08_14_jupafa_breafa_1

 

Brevard County Game Log:

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=t503&t=g_log&gid=2007_08_14_jupafa_breafa_1

[Mass Haas]

Final: Charleston (Yankees) 7, West Virginia 3

 

West Virginia Site Game Summary:

 

CHAPMAN TIES FRANCHISE RECORD

 

Steve Chapman tied a franchise record, hitting his 20th home run of the season in a losing effort at Appalachian Power Park on Tuesday night as the Power fell to the Charleston Riverdogs 7-3.

 

The Riverdogs took a 3-0 lead in the top of the third inning. Seth Fortenberry ripped a two-run double and scored later in the inning on Tim O'Brien's infield single. In the sixth inning Charleston scored four times to pull away. Luis Nunez's sacrifice fly plated Joe Muich before Mitch Hilligoss's doubled plated two runs and Hilligoss scored on James Cooper's two-bagger.

 

Andrew LeFave and Matt LaPorta hit back-to-back solo home runs in the sixth inning to put the Power on the board. It was LeFave's 14th and LaPorta's second. In the bottom of the ninth inning Steve Chapman hit a solo home run, his 20th of the season. The home run tied Jason Parsons's franchise record for home runs in a season.

 

Grant Duff (12-8) tossed five scoreless innings of two-hit ball to get the win and Alex Periard (5-7) was tagged with the loss after surrendering six runs on eleven hits over five and a third.

 

The Power fell to 72-47 overall and 24-28 in the second half, while the Riverdogs improved to 67-54 overall and 30-21 in the second half. The win for the Riverdogs snapped their five game losing skid and West Virginia's four game winning streak.

 

The Power will finish the series with Charleston Wednesday night. The Power will start right hander Chris Toneguzzi (5-3, 5.59) and the Riverdogs will counter with right hander Ivan Nova (6-6, 3.86). The first pitch is scheduled for 7:05 PM (6:05 Central).

 

West Virginia Box Score:

Chuckie Caufield left very early in this one, no reason given; Steve Chapman's perfect night at the plate can't take away from a lot of yuck in this one...

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_box&gid=2007_08_14_crdafx_wvaafx_1

 

West Virginia Game Log:

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_log&gid=2007_08_14_crdafx_wvaafx_1

[homer]

It is definitely Hurricane season. He's hitting like .420 since the all star break.

[Mass Haas]

Nashville Pre-Game Audio Coaches Chat with Manager Frank Kremblas:

 

http://www.nashvillesounds.com/audio/2007/Interview%208-14.mp3

 

Final: New Orleans (Mets) 4, Nashville 3

 

Nashville Site Game Summary:

Link for Gabe Gross photo, text follows --

 

http://www.nashvillesounds.com/news/news.asp?newsId=2508

 

Zephyrs Edge Sounds In Series Opener, 4-3

 

NASHVILLE - The Nashville Sounds dropped a scorching series opener against the New Orleans Zephyrs by a score of 4-3 on Tuesday evening at Greer Stadium.

 

Temperatures soared near the triple digits as Nashville's 2007 record against the Zephyrs dipped to 6-7. This is the final series in the regular season between the teams, which both currently lead their respective PCL divisions.

 

Despite the loss, the Sounds (73-50) maintained a 4 1/2 game lead over Iowa in the division after the Cubs dropped their game against the Omaha Royals, 2-0.

 

New Orleans (65-58) jumped out to an early lead in the top of the first when leadoff man Anderson Hernandez (3-for-5) doubled to left-center. He would advance to third on a groundout before being plated by Andy Tracy's single up the middle to give the Zephyrs a 1-0 lead.

 

Nashville countered in the bottom half of the inning when Callix Crabbe (2-for-3) led off with a triple to deep right-center. Gabe Gross (2-for-3) followed up with a sharp ground ball up the middle that plated Crabbe and tied the game at one run apiece.

 

In the top of the sixth inning, Sounds starter Zach Jackson had a 2-2 advantage over the leadoff man, Hernandez, when the hurler misplayed a pop-up in foul territory. Hernandez sent the next pitch to deep center for a triple. Fernando Tatis followed with a walk before Ricky Ledee hit a sacrifice fly to center field allowing Hernandez to score the go-ahead run in unearned fashion.

 

The damage would continue when Tracy (2-for-4) then knocked in his second run of the game with a double down the right field line and later came in to score on former Sound Chad Hermansen's bloop single to shallow right, bringing the score to 4-1 in favor of New Orleans.

 

The Sounds got a couple back in the bottom half of the eighth inning that began when Crabbe drew a walk. Gross knocked him home again with a triple of his own to the left-center gap and scored when Drew Anderson grounded out to short to lower the deficit to one, but it was not enough to save the game.

 

AUDIO: Gabe Gross RBI Triple --

 

http://www.nashvillesounds.com/audio/2007/Highlight%208-14.mp3

 

Jackson (9-9) took the loss for Nashville after throwing 5 1/3 innings, giving up two earned runs and striking out five.

 

New Orleans starter Jose Santiago (5-7) got the victory by giving up only one earned run in six innings and striking out two batters.

 

Infielder Brad Nelson did his part by reaching base three times and extending his hit streak to nine games during which he's batted .368 (14-38). Nelson's season-high is hits in 15 consecutive games.

 

The Sounds bullpen put together 3 2/3 solid innings of relief. Steve Bray, Mitch Stetter, and Dennis Sarfate shut the Zephyrs offense down by giving up no runs and combining for six strikeouts.

 

Nashville continues its series against New Orleans on Wednesday with a day game beginning at 12:00 noon. Sounds southpaw Adam Pettyjohn (9-3, 3.73) will take the hill against fellow left-hander and former Sound Dave Williams (2-1, 3.09).

 

Nashville Box Score:

Gabe Gross continues to rake, but not much here to love tonight, either...

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_box&gid=2007_08_14_nozaaa_nasaaa_1

 

Nashville Game Log:

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_log&gid=2007_08_14_nozaaa_nasaaa_1

[Mass Haas]

Final: Huntsville 13, West Tenn (Mariners) 6

All Hail the Stars, they're unofficially the organization's team of the year...

 

Huntsville Box Score:

Stars site game summary soon; Mel Stocker may have had the best game by a Brewer farmhand this year -- 5-for-5 with a walk, a home run shy of the cycle, a SB, four runs scored, and rescued a kitten from high in a nearby tree...

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_box&gid=2007_08_14_hunaax_wtdaax_1

 

Huntsville Game Log:

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_log&gid=2007_08_14_hunaax_wtdaax_1

[Mass Haas]

Final: Helena 7, Ogden (Dodgers) 5

 

Helena Box Score:

Eric Newton's first appearance since July 9th -- injuries slowed him last year as well; Eric Farris 3-for-5 with his first pro HR, a two-run 9th inning shot that broke a 5-all tie, we'll get you that audio in the AM; Jonathan Lucroy 3-for-5 with a double; R.J. Seidel three hitless innings of relief for a well-earned victory...

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_box&gid=2007_08_14_helrok_ogdrok_1

 

Helena Game Log:

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_log&gid=2007_08_14_helrok_ogdrok_1

[Mass Haas]

By the way, that's Lewis and Clark as your Link Report avatar today, the Helena mascots....

 

The Arizona Brewers are trailing 3-2 late, details in the AM...

 

In breaking news, all the affiliates have asked Doug Melvin to be sure that Chris Capuano is not demoted to any of their rosters for the postseason...

[Mass Haas]

Huntsville Site Game Summary:

Link, text follows --

 

http://www.huntsvillestars.com/news/news.asp?newsId=1318

 

Stocker Supercharges Stars' Scoring Binge

Mel Stocker collected five hits, scored four times and knocked in a run and the red-hot Hernan Iribarren tripled and doubled to drive in three to power Huntsvillle to a 13-6 win over West Tenn Tuesday night in the opener of a five-game set at Pringles Park. The Stars won their sixth straight road game to match a season-high and push their second half record to 32-19, while the Diamond Jaxx lost a fourth straight to fall to 19-32 in the second half and 50-71 overall. The Stars maintained their three-game lead in the North Division over Chattanooga, which defeated Tennessee earlier in the evening.

 

Stocker led off the game with a walk, stole second, moved to third on a fly ball and scored on a single by Adam Heether, marking the second straight game in which the Stars had scored in the first inning against Chick. West Tenn tied the game in the home second on a two-out double by Jeff Frazier that scored Marshall Hubbard. Stocker became the first Stars' hitter to pick up five hits in a game this season and the second player to score four times in a game.

 

Iribarren tripled in two runs and scored on a Heether sacrifice fly in the third to give the visitors the lead for good at 4-1. Brendan Katin led off the fourth with his 21st home run of the season and Steve Moss and Stocker produced run-scoring hits to push the lead to 7-1. Stocker extended his hitting streak to a season-high five games, while Alcides Escobar, who singled and scored on the Iribarren triple, pushed his hit streak to a season-best seven games. Chick suffered the loss after allowing seven runs on seven hits over five frames and has now given up 15 runs on 17 hits in 10 innings in his last two starts against Huntsville.

 

West Tenn crawled back into the game with an unearned run in the fourth and then three more in the fifth on a solo home run by Luis Oliveros and a two-run shot by Mike Wilson off of starter Corey Thurman, who has allowed long balls in eight of his nine starts. The veteran right-hander worked out of further trouble by retiring Mike Saunders on a shallow fly to left and striking out Jeff Frazier with runners at the corners to end the inning. He picked up his first win since July 11, allowing four earned runs on seven hits and three walks, while striking out three.

 

Bo Hall worked a scoreless sixth inning and was taken out with an 8-5 lead after walking the first two hitters in the seventh. Robert Hinton took over and gave up a base hit to Saunders that loaded the bases but averted trouble by getting Frazier to line into a double play and retiring Chris Minaker on a pop up. Escobar doubled in two runs in the eighth and Carlos Corporan hit a three-run homer, his first long ball since May 10, in the ninth to complete the scoring for the visitors. Hinton wound up giving up a run in the ninth and went three innings to earn his first save of the season. The Stars' issued a season-high 10 walks for a second time at Pringles Park and have issued 52 free passes in their last seven games at West Tenn.

 

The series continues Wednesday night, as left-hander Derek Miller takes the hill for Huntsville against Diamond Jaxx' right-hander Doug Fister. Coverage begins at 6:50 pm central time and can be heard on SportsRadio 730 WUMP and via the internet at www.huntsvillestars.com.

[mls4]

"The Arizona Brewers are trailing 3-2 late, details in the AM..."

 

The Arizona Brewers lost 12-2, making their best big league-Brewer impression, turning a 3-2 close game into a laugher by allowing the Royals a 9-run 8th inning. Most of the damage against Anthony Drinkard, who gave up 3 hits, 2 walks, and made an error before retiring a couple batters. He wasn't helped by a passed ball and another error. Guillermo Salinas relieved and gave up a 3-run HR, a double, a walk and endured another passed ball before getting out of the inning. Brewer offense held to 4 hits while striking out 12 times, and defensively made 5 errors as well as the 2 passed balls. On the bright side, Jorge Crespo pitched 4 solid innings to lower his ERA by a run, and CF Charles Iacono improved his solid OBP by getting on base another 3 times. He now has as many walks as total bases on the season, 33. He also stole his 22nd base of the year.

 

Box score

 

Game log

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

http://wvgazette.com/section/Sports/2007081429

 

Longballs can't help Power win

By Jim Workman

For The Charleston Gazette

It was a record-tying night for one Power slugger, but it wasn't quite enough to send the home fans home happy.

 

The West Virginia Power saw its four-game winning streak come to an end by dropping a 7-3 decision to the Charleston (S.C.) RiverDogs in a South Atlantic League game at Appalachian Power Park on Tuesday night.

 

Steve Chapman tied a Charleston Class A franchise record with his 20th home run of the season with a blast to right field in the bottom of the ninth inning.

 

But it wasn't nearly enough.

 

Jason Parsons of the Charleston Alley Cats cranked 20 homers in 1997, many landing over the walls of spacious Watt Powell Park, where Charleston's Class A franchise played until 2004.

 

"I'm not really trying to hit home runs," Chapman said. "I'm just trying to hit the ball hard. I would much rather have a batting average that was 20 points higher."

 

"I'm real happy for Chappy," said Power manager Mike Guerrero. "He is swinging the bat well. Maybe he can go for No. 21 [tonight]."

 

The Power (72-48 overall, 24-28 second half) was 9 1/2 games out of first place in the Sally League Northern Division, but has already sewn up a playoff spot with its first-half division title.

 

The RiverDogs (67-54, 30-21) are bidding for a Southern Division second-half title, beginning the contest 1 1/2 games out of first. The RiverDogs are affiliated with the New York Yankees.

 

The Power managed just two hits in the first five innings but the late runs were pleasing to the West Virginia mentor.

 

"Their pitchers did a good job," said Guerrero. "You have to tip your hat to them. We had to rally."

 

Seth Fortenberry slammed a two-run double to right field in the top of the third inning to give the RiverDogs an early 2-0 advantage.

 

Fortenberry scored on an infield single by Tim O'Brien to raise the lead to 3-0.

 

Luis Nunez brought in a run with a sacrifice fly, Mitch Hilligoss stroked a two-run, ground-rule double and James Cooper sliced a RBI single in the sixth to increase the RiverDogs lead to 7-0.

 

The Power finally broke through in the bottom of the sixth with back-to-back round-trippers.

 

Andrew LeFave swatted a home run over the right-field fence and Matt LaPorta drilled a homer over the left-field wall to trim the deficit to 7-2.

 

The Power closes out the current homestand tonight with a 7:05 start (6:05 Central) against the RiverDogs before heading off to Lake County (Ohio) for four games.

 

West Virginia returns home for a three-game series with Lexington on Aug. 21.

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

http://tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070815/SPORTS0401/708150416/1328/SPORTS

 

Sounds hitters struggle again

By MIKE ORGAN

Tennessean Staff Writer

 

The Sounds bats failed to match another impressive performance by the team's pitchers in a 4-3 loss Tuesday to New Orleans.

 

Nashville's four pitchers combined for 11 strikeouts and it appeared in the eighth inning that the offense would come through just in time.

 

But after Gabe Gross' triple to the center field wall scored Callix Crabbe and Charles Thomas' sacrifice fly scored Gross to cut the Zephyrs' lead to one, Nashville managed just one more hit the rest of the way.

 

The loss came before a Greer Stadium crowd of 4,767 in the second game of the series against New Orleans. Nashville still maintained its 4½ game lead in the Pacific Coast League American Conference Northern Division over Iowa, which lost to Omaha Tuesday 2-1.

 

Nashville pitchers have struck out 45 batters in the last four games. The Sounds pitching staff leads the PCL with 977 strikeouts and is on pace to eclipse last year's single-season record of 1,117 strikeouts.

 

The loss was another tough one for starting pitcher Zach Jackson (9-9), who has dropped his last six decisions. He struck out five batters in 5 1/3 innings Tuesday.

 

"I've been working on stuff personally," Jackson said. "As a whole you can't argue the stats we've put up.

 

"The bullpen's done an unbelievable job, the rest of the starters have been outstanding, too. We're in the ballgame more times than not."

 

An error by Jackson turned out to be a key in the loss. He raced toward the New Orleans' dugout to catch a foul ball by Anderson Hernandez, the leadoff batter in the sixth. Jackson dropped the ball, however, and Hernandez tripled on the next pitch.

 

Hernandez scored on a RBI by Ricky Ledee and the Zephyrs eventually pulled ahead 4-1 before the end of the inning.

 

"I was happy going into that sixth inning and I called for that foul ball and I've got to make that play,'' Jackson said. "It came back and cost me."

 

***

 

Link while active, text follows:

 

http://tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070815/SPORTS0401/708150419/1328/SPORTS

 

Nashville tops PCL in one-run defeats

By MIKE ORGAN

Tennessean Staff Writer

 

Tuesday night's 4-3 loss to New Orleans was Nashville's 25th one-run loss, which is the most in the Pacific Coast League.

 

The Sounds are 18-25 in such games. Each of Nashville's last eight defeats has come by one or two runs.

 

Nashville led the PCL in 2006 with a franchise record 31 one-run defeats.

 

Playoff tickets: Tickets for all PCL playoff games which could be played at Greer Stadium go on sale today at the Sounds ticket office. They can also be purchased online at www.nashvillesounds.com.

 

Ticket prices are the same as regular-season games ($10 for reserved seats and $6 for general admission). The team announced that all playoff ticket revenue will be donated to Midstate charities.

 

Fans for fans: Every person who attended Tuesday's game received a fan.

 

The temperature on the scoreboard was 104 degrees when the game began. Another scorcher is expected for today's noon game.

 

Winning ways: The Sounds' 5-2 win Monday over Albuquerque assured Nashville of its 20th winning record in its 30-year history.

 

The Sounds improved their record to 73-49 and marked the earliest they have reached 73 wins in a season since the club joined the Pacific Coast League in 1998.

 

Another triple: Nashville's Callix Crabbe's triple in the first inning was his sixth of the season. Crabbe scored on the next at-bat when Gabe Gross' infield hit was mishandled by shortstop Anderson Hernandez.

 

Gross, a former Auburn quarterback, hit a triple in the eighth inning that scored Crabbe and cut New Orleans lead to 4-2. It was Gross' second triple of the season.

 

Another hit: Brad Nelson singled in the first to extend his hitting streak to nine games.

 

Picked off: Sounds reliever Dennis Sarfate picked off Chip Ambres at first in the eighth inning. It was Sarfate's fourth pickoff of the season, which leads the team.

 

Quick starts: The Sounds have scored the game's first run a PCL-leading 75 times. Tuesday, New Orleans struck first when Andy Tracy's shot to the center field wall scored Anderson Hernandez. Nashville has outscored its opponents 85-47 in the first inning.

[Mass Haas]

Jackson error leads to Sounds loss

BY NATE RAU, Nashville City Paper Sports Correspondent

 

On the same day the front office put playoff tickets on sale, the Nashville Sounds took a sideways step in their hunt for a third straight Pacific Coast League playoff appearance.

 

Sounds starter Zach Jackson dropped a routine foul ball in the sixth inning and then gave up a triple to Albuquerque's Anderson Hernandez on the next pitch. Hernandez went on to score the gamewinning run as the Zephyrs downed the Sounds 4-3 at Greer Stadium on Tuesday.

 

The game was a possible playoff preview as both teams are currently in first in their respective divisions. The Sounds (73-50) now have a 4.5 game lead with 21 games remaining.

 

Under manager Frank Kremblas, Nashville has reached the playoffs each of the past two seasons, including winning the PCL in 2005.

 

"You're trying to develop players and win," Kremblas said. "I think the last couple of years they've done a pretty good job here. The [Milwaukee Brewers] have had guys who have played here and done well and are now in the big leagues and playing well.

 

"I think it's important to get these guys to have some playoff experience in the minor leagues as well."

 

At the Triple A level, the first goal is to work toward a promotion to the big leagues. But winning never takes a backseat. Earlier this week Sounds catcher Vinny Rottino said players have expected to reach the playoffs since the season began.

 

"To me a game's a game," Kremblas said of how the loss affects the Sounds' playoff standings. "Every game is the same to me. Everything else is just fodder to read in the media."

 

The game was tied at one apiece in the sixth when Jackson (9-9) dropped a foul ball off the bat of Hernandez. The next pitch the speedy Hernandez laced a liner to right-center. The Zephyrs went on to score three runs in the inning.

 

"I called for the foul ball and I've got to make that play," said Jackson who is now 0-6 in his last eight starts. "I tried to muscle-up and left it up a little bit and he made me pay for it."

 

A triple led to Nashville's first run when Callix Crabbe reached third and then scored on a single by Gabe Gross in the first.

 

The Sounds scored two runs in the eighth with Gross providing a clutch triple during the rally, but that was as close as they got.

 

As for the playoff tickets, fans can now purchase them through the Sounds. If Nashville goes on to make the post-season all revenues earned by playoff ticket sales will be donated to charity.

 

If the Sounds make the playoffs, their first round series will be at home Sept. 7-9. The championship series will have games at Greer on Sept. 11-12.

 

Photo by Mike Strasinger for The City Paper

Callix Crabbe scored the Sounds first run of the night after hitting a triple in the first inning. He scored on a single by Gabe Gross. The Sounds picked up two more runs in the eighth before falling to the Zephyrs.

 

http://e-paper.nashvillecitypaper.com/Repository/getimage.dll?path=TCP/2007/08/15/20/Img/Pc0200400.jpg

[Mass Haas]

David Weiser's

 

http://www.starsboxscore.com/

 

Is this the greatest Stars team ever?

They were 69-50 on the season with 20 games left coming into this series with West Tenn, giving them a shot at the club record of 82 wins in a season, held by the 1989 team that finished a record 45-26 in the 2nd half........ After clubbing the Diamond Jaxx tonight before a third of the 928 reported in attendance on this blistering 98° night in Jackson, they are 32-19 in the 2nd half, giving them another record to go for....... So when you even think about using a hyperbole like this, then it's time to present the comparisons.

Talk to anyone who's followed the Stars since their inception and ask them which teams were the best, and they will probably spit off these years off the bat -- 1985, 1986, 1997 (A's organization)....... The first two of these teams, both of which went to the Championship Series, won 78 games...... The 1997 team, the greatest offensive team in club history, scoring more runs, amassing more hits, and hitting more doubles and home runs than any Stars team in history, won 77 games....... The 1985 team is best remembered for winning the Southern League championship, and rather dramatically, at that, and providing a drawing card in Jose Canseco and a fan favorite in Rocky Coyle. The only record that team set, that still holds, is its 20 complete games. (This was a different era.) One "untouchable" record still holds, though. Luis Polonia hit 18 triples on this team. But how untouchable is this? Hernan Iribarren hit his 11th Tuesday night-- his 6th this month, which is the most since Polonia's nine that June in '85....... The 1986 team still holds the record for best team average -- .289 -- and other team offensive records still held until 1997. They lost the league championship to a Columbus team that featured the late Ken Caminiti, a future NL MVP.

These are the three teams that come to the fore. I would add the 1989 team that won 82 games. They beat Birmingham by 10½ games to win the second half and were led by Dann Howitt, who hit 26 HRs and drove in 111 runs, and 13-game winner Ray Young, but the only memorable player with this team was future major league star Scott Brosius, who hit .271 and drove in 60 runs, not earthshaking numbers...... They still hold the all-time record with 42 triples. The 2007 Stars have 38 and counting........ This, and the fact that they were humbled by Birmingham in the Western Division Playoffs (they lost in four games and hit just .145), would lift them from consideration........ There's also the 1994 team, the last Huntsville Stars team to win the Southern League title outright. They came the closest to winning both halves, losing the second half to Chattanooga by ½ game. Unlike other Oakland-affiliated Stars teams, the strength of this team was its pitching. Led by more 10-game winners than any other team before or since, this team got its runs from the fewest number of position players (15) in club history, none of which hit greater than .275 --- except for Ernie Young (who is still active and playing for the Charlotte Knights), who hit .346, but spent part of his season at Class AAA-Tacoma, being recalled in time for the playoffs..... Jason Giambi played in 56 games for this team, but hit just .223 and Jason Wood, in the majors with the Florida Marlins, hit .274 and was the team RBI leader. The team ERA of 3.43 was the best of any Oakland-affiliated Stars team, and has since been bettered by the 2003 Stars (3.17) and 2006 Stars (3.30)......... The 2003 Stars? They have won more games than any Brewer-affiliated Stars team (76), set a club record with that ERA, and easily won the 1st half (beating WT and Birmingham by seven games), but hit just .245, led by Corey Hart's 40 doubles and .302 average. This was the team of J.J. Hardy and Dave Krynzel, arguably the best center fielder in Stars history. They beat a pitching-rich Birmingham team that went 14-11 against us during the regular season, 3-0, 3-0, and 2-1 in a series that went five games, then lost to Carolina in five games, scoring only 11 runs.

So is this year's team -- the greatest team?....... They may be the first Stars team to win both halves. If so, they will have won three straight halves, going back to last season....... They lead a resurgent Chattanooga team by three games, and are tied with Jacksonville for the best record in the 2nd half (32-19)....... They have won 12 of their last 15 games and are 10-2 in August....... While the pitching this month hasn't been as dominant (a 4.07 ERA by the rotation and 4.19 by the bullpen), they have hit like demons -- .326 in their last 11 games, scoring an average of 7.18 runs per game....... And the parts that make up the whole?....... Hernan Iribarren is 25-for-51 this month, and perhaps on the way to the greatest month for any Huntsville Star at the plate in its history........ He has ten doubles, eight triples, and two HRs since July and is batting.397 since July 1. He's got a good shot of becoming the first Huntsville Star to collect 140 hits since Scott Spiezio in 1995........ Brendan Katin is hitting .359 this month with three HRs and eight RBIs. He's the active Southern League leader in HRs (21) and RBIs (82)........ 2004........ Adam Heether, who was hitting a buck-32 at the end of April, has hit .321 since and .359 since July 1, and is playing the best defensive 3rd base I've seen since Eric Chavez.

No one knows yet what the future holds for the 2007 Stars, and no one knows how they may be measured against what I perceive to be the greatest Stars teams in history. But I know for certain, they must be considered.

 

David may be back with more later today...

[Mass Haas]

MiLB.com:

Thompson, 'pen endanger Manatees

 

Aaron Thompson and two relievers combined on a five-hitter as visiting Jupiter hammered Brevard County, 7-1, on Tuesday.

Thompson (3-6) gave up three hits and two walks while striking out seven in seven innings. It was the 20-year-old left-hander's first win since May 25.

Hammerheads reliever Jeff Gogal allowed a run on two hits and a walk while fanning two in the eighth inning. Todd Doolittle didn't allow a hit, striking out two and walking one in the ninth.

Gaby Sanchez ripped a solo homer in the fourth, his ninth, and chipped in a two-run double in the eighth for Jupiter (22-25). John Purdom smacked a solo homer, his second, in the fifth, and Kris Harvey added a two-run homer in the ninth, his 11th.

Manatees starter David Welch (6-5) yielded two runs on four hits while striking out four in seven innings.

Lorenzo Cain doubled and scored on Mat Gamel's base hit in the eighth for Brevard County (25-23), which has lost six straight. -- Ryan McConnell/MLB.com

[Mass Haas]

Helena trips up Raptors in the ninth inning
By Helena Independent Record Staff

OGDEN, Utah - A two-run home run by Eric Farris in the ninth inning lifted the Helena Brewers to a 7-5 win over the Ogden Raptors Tuesday night.

Farris came to the plate after Mike Goetz reached base when he was hit by a pitch. With one out, Farris launched off of Jhonny Caraballo to left field and that was enough to give the Brewers the win.

After a slow start to the second half, the first-half Northern Division champion Brewers have won five of their last six games.

The first inning in Tuesday night's game was a wild affair as both teams scored three runs.

Helena scored two of their three runs in the inning thanks to a double by Scotty McKnight.

Ogden countered with three runs of their own, with the big blow coming off the bat of Travis Vetters. Vetters cracked a triple to center field to score two runs.

After that outburst, both teams settled down. Ogden owned a 5-4 lead midway through the contest, but Helena tied the game at five in the sixth on a RBI single by Lee Haydel.

Farris was 3-for-5 on the evening for Helena as was Jonathan Lucroy.

Jose Garcia gave up four earned runs over six innings of work for the Brewers. R.J. Siedel picked up the win, blanking the Raptors over the final three innings of the game.

The two teams conclude their series tonight. Helena will return home to play Orem on Thursday night.

[molitor fan]

Adam Heether, who was hitting a buck-32 at the end of April, has hit .321 since and .359 since July 1, and is playing the best defensive 3rd base I've seen since Eric Chavez

 

The above comment from David Weiser is very interesting indeed. Also, I propose that Andrew Drinkard's brewerfan nickname be "Drive me to".